Sports performance is primarily associated with elite sport, however, recreational athletes are increasingly attempting to emulate elite athletes. Performance optimization is distinctly multidisciplinary. Optimized training concepts and the use of state-of-the-art technologies are crucial for improving performance. However, sports performance enhancement is in constant conflict with the protection of athletes’ health. Notwithstanding the known positive effects of physical activity on health, the prevention and management of sports injuries remain major challenges to be addressed. Accordingly, this Special Issue on "Sports Performance and Health" consists of 17 original research papers, one review paper, and one commentary, and covers a wide range of topics related to fatigue, movement asymmetries, optimization of sports performance by training, technique, and/or tactics enhancements, prevention and management of sports injuries, optimization of sports equipment to increase performance and/or decrease the risk of injury, and innovations for sports performance, health, and load monitoring. As this Special Issue offers several new insights and multidisciplinary perspectives on sports performance and health, readers from around the world who work in these areas are expected to benefit from this Special Issue collection.

Current understanding of physiological characteristics of different populations and responses to environmental stress and exercise is primarily derived from research using male participants. Therefore, the physiological responses to exercise testing, prescription, and training in females should be further characterized and explored, as does knowledge on female-specific health and recovery from exercise. Additional female-focused research is thus required to develop and enhance our understanding of women’s exercise physiology.

Nutritional Supplements in Sport, Exercise and Health is the most up-to-date and authoritative guide to dietary supplements, ergogenic aids and sports nutrition foods currently available. Consisting of over 140 evidence-based review articles written by world-leading research scientists and practitioners, the book aims to dispel the misinformation that surrounds supplements and supplementation, offering a useful, balanced and unbiased resource. The reviews are set out in an A-Z format and include: definitions alongside related products; applicable food sources; where appropriate, practical recommendations such as dosage and timing, possible nutrient interactions requiring the avoidance of other nutrients, and any known potential side effects; and full research citations. The volume as a whole addresses the key issues of efficacy, safety, legality and ethics, and includes additional reviews on the WADA code, inadvertent doping, and stacking. Combining the most up-to-date scientific evidence with consideration of practical issues, this book is an essential reference for any healthcare professional working in sport and exercise, any student or researcher working in sport and exercise science, sports medicine, health science or nutrition, and for all coaches and support teams working with athletes.

Elite sport typically provides obvious rewards in terms of recognition, finance and acclaim for athletic performance. Increasingly, we are becoming aware of the risks that elite athletes, their entourage, including families, sport-science support team and coaches are exposed to. Twelve original articles, seven commentaries and a corrigendum, are structured in a five chapter format. Chapter 1, comprising the Editorial, is titled “An Overview of Mental Health in Elite Sport: Changing the Play Book” to reflect the advocacy role of this article. Chapter 2 (“Finding the Sweet Spot”) amplifies the voice of key stakeholders across three qualitative studies with three additional commentaries. Quantitative evidence is presented in Chapter 3 which has the sub-title the “State of Play.” Chapter 4, entitled the “Field of Play”, includes three original publications which present contrasting conceptual approaches to guide researchers in hypothesis generation, formulation and implementation science. Finally, in Chapter 5, “Seeing the Ball Early”, prospective perspectives are provided in three publications reinforced by two commentaries. The future thinking ideas includes the use of virtual reality training, a broadening of the concept of mental health literacy, tackling stigma and focusing on the potential positive effect of the natural environment on well-being and recovery. To date the research topic has generated widespread in the field. For example, several articles have generated an Altmetric score above 40 with one publication meriting an Altmetric score of 102. We envisage that the impact of this e-book will not simply be measured in citations, views, downloads nor social media impact, but in the discourse that emerges from this collection of contributions from a combined total of 53 authors from across three continents. It is our hope that this e-book, providing a snapshot of global challenges for elite athletes mental health and well-being, becomes a touchstone for researchers and practitioners in the field.

"The Science of Peak Sports Performance: A Guide to the Assessment, Control, and Monitoring of Training" serves as a comprehensive and up-to-date reference aimed at coaches, athletes, sports medicine professionals, and sports science practitioners who are interested in applying a scientific approach to optimizing sports performance. Through its five sections, the book delves deeply into the most advanced principles, methods, and tools for the assessment, control, and monitoring of sports training: 1. Foundations of the Scientific Assessment, Control, and Monitoring of Sports Training: Introduces key concepts related to biomedical control in athletes, highlighting their relevance and application in high-performance sports. 2. Comprehensive Athlete Evaluation: Provides a detailed analysis of contemporary methods for physical, functional, and psychological evaluation of athletes, allowing for a multidimensional approach in training planning. 3. Physiological Monitoring of Training: Explores in depth the use of wearable devices and biometric sensors for continuous monitoring of athletes' physiological status. The book addresses the use of heart rate variability (HRV) as a fundamental tool for adjusting training loads and preventing overtraining. 4. Biochemical Control of Sports Training: Analyzes the main biochemical markers used in training control, including hematological, hormonal, muscle damage, stress, and energy metabolism indicators, with a focus on the relationship between these markers and sports performance. 5. Artificial Intelligence Applied to the Scientific Control of Training and Performance Analysis: Examines the implementation of advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies in the analysis and optimization of performance, offering practical examples of their use in the sports context. This e-book is an indispensable tool for those seeking to implement a rigorous, evidence-based approach to enhancing sports performance, preventing injuries, and effectively managing training loads.

The Routledge Handbook of Elite Sport Performance is the first book to examine a broad span of performance and support issues in contemporary elite sport; including coaching, sports science and medicine, leadership and management, operating in different societies, living in the system as a performer, and future developments in the domain. The book is written by authors with elite-level experience, expertise, success, and status across individual and team sports, including football, NFL, track and field athletics, rowing, and rugby, in professional, Olympic, and other elite domains. The book also considers the integration of systems at micro to macro levels, from working with individual athletes to developing national organisations and policy, and features in-depth case studies from real sport throughout. This is an essential reference for any researcher or advanced student with an interest in elite sport or applied sport science, from sport injury and sport psychology to sports coaching and sport policy. It is also an invaluable resource for coaches, managers, administrators, and policy-makers working in elite sport, offering them a "breadth first" guide to how and why specialists may work together for maximum effect.

Introduction to XXXX is an introductory course aimed at teaching students foundational knowledge and skills in the field of XXXX. The course is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of the key concepts, theories, and practices in XXXX, and equip students with the tools needed to engage with the subject at a deeper level. Throughout the course, students will be introduced to a range of topics, including the history and evolution of XXXX, the main branches of the discipline, and the various methodologies and techniques used in the field. The course is structured around a series of lectures, readings, and assignments, each of which is designed to build upon the previous ones. Lectures will be delivered by experts in the field, while readings will be drawn from a range of academic texts and online resources. Assignments will include both written work and practical exercises, such as data analysis and experiments. By the end of the course, students should have developed a solid understanding of the fundamentals of XXXX, and be able to apply this knowledge to a range of real-world situations.

Coaching for Sports Performance provides a practical overview of the many disciplines necessary to be an effective coach. Using experts from across the sports science fields, this book teaches readers the core concepts in a practical, easy to understand style, separated into four sections. Part I explains the fundamentals of effective coaching including the development of coaching philosophies, best practices for coaching effectively, how athletic technique matures, and what coaches can and cannot do in specific health-related situations. Part II provides practical ways to improve athletic performance where readers learn the fundamentals of biomechanics and how to use technology to analyze performance, the physiological functions and adaptations to exercise, how the body can be physically trained and properly fueled, and mental strategies to optimize athletic outcomes. Part III introduces the business side of coaching, the important responsibilities involved in sport management, and practical methods for marketing as well as working with the media. Last, Part IV offers specific strategies for coaching across age and skill levels. Chapters are split into youth and high school, collegiate, and professional athletes, and the nuances of coaching each level are explained. Being called "Coach" is an honor, but with this title comes the responsibility of being professional, knowledgeable, and effective. Coaching for Sports Performance provides the platform for becoming a successful coach and assisting athletes in achieving their potential. Coaching for Sports Performance provides a practical overview of the many disciplines necessary to be an effective coach.

The use of psychological interventions and counselling strategies has become a central part of injury prevention, rehabilitation, and return to participation process. The Psychology of Sport and Performance Injury: An Interprofessional Case-Based Approach is the first book to offer students, academic scholars, and practitioners case studies that are grounded in psychological theory and empirical evidence, with a specific focus on addressing psychological aspects of sport and performance injuries in an interprofessional manner. This book presents nine "real-life inspired" fictional sport and performance injury cases. It demonstrates the viability and effectiveness of adopting an interprofessional, person-centered approach to injury, rehabilitation, and return to participation process. Each case is focused on a particular phase of rehabilitation, with specific attention placed on relevant biopsychosocial concerns. Within each chapter, a theoretical, conceptual, and empirical analysis of the case is presented followed by detailed accounts on how a range of professionals and significant others can work alongside each other to provide a holistic care for the injured performer within their own competencies. The Psychology of Sport and Performance Injury: An Interprofessional Case-Based Approach emphasizes the importance of holistic, interprofessional approach to sport and performance injury rehabilitation. This book is a vital resource for upper-level students, academic scholars, and applied practitioners from a range of sport and performance related disciplines such as athletic training, kinesiology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, sport psychology, sports therapy, and strength and conditioning. It offers a valuable reading for a range of individuals and professionals who are involved in sport and performance injury prevention, rehabilitation, and return to participation process.